Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-27
WEDNESDAY. APRIL q, 1887.
Firures-Thn Tariff.

We have mote than once during the
las. FIVE years called attention TO the
large amount of money which accord
ing 10 tho theory of the anti-Pro-
tectionists the people of Virginia have
to pay under the present tariff, and we
have argued from the magnitude OF
the amount that the theory must be
untrue. We were rather surprised,
therefore, on Monday TO find our good
friend of the State citing those same
figures as proof that the Virginia peo
pic would do better to pay direct taxes
than TO continue to suffer under the
alleged burthens of protective tariff.
We quote our neighbours own words
as follows:
"But even this estimate would be
too low. 1t is very moderate estimate
that at least one hundred and forty dol
lars is spent by every five people in the
many articles we have enumerated-al-
lowing forty dollars for each man and
each woman and twenty dollars for each
child. For the one million and n half
OF population, or three hundred thou
sand families or groups, this would
reach total OF forty-two million dol
lars per annum. Forty per cent.
of forty-two million dollars would
be more than sixteen, nearly
seventeen, millions of dollars, an esti-
mate in nowise too large for the sum
that is taken from the people of Vir-
ginia annually by protective tariff. But
as six millions Of dollars is their proper
ton of the customs duties paid annually
ut the ports of the country, then where
does the enormous sum of more than
ten millions go? Into the pockets of
the protected producers Would it
not be better after all for the people
to pay six millions of dollars directly
than to pay more than sixteen mil
lions indirectly Who would not rather
pay sixty cents to the Government di-
rectly than TO have his pocket picked |
of one dollar and sixty cents, only sixty
cents of which would reach the United
States Treasury, whilst the dollar re-
naming would become the booty of the
protected pets Of the Government To |
tell the taxpayer that the man who |
takes his dollar from him may use q
part of it in buying some of the unpro
tected products of his labor can be but |
poor consolation to him"
Nearly seventeen millions OF dollars |
"taken from the people of Virginia
annually by protective tariff Howthe
State debt dwindles into insignificance
in the presence of those figures. In
fifteen months the Commonwealth pays
q sum equal to the +yhole State debt as
ascertaired by the RIDDLEBERGER bill |
In twenty years she has TINS involun
tarily and unknowingly paid more than
three hundred and twenty millions of |
dollars In the name of reason, let Us
all stop talking about the miserable !
little State debt, and so to work to get |
lid of the tariff.
Our neighbor asks, "Would it not be
I etter after all for the people to pay
six millions of dollars directly than to |
pay more than sixteen millions indi-
rectly ~" Let our neighbor ass the |
members of the Legislature. The State
tax is now Forty cents on each hundred |
dollars worth of property, or one mil
lion two hundred thousand dollars on
three hundred millions of real estate.
To get six millions We must make the
taxes five times as Might've dollars on
each hundred dollars worth of real es
tate. The Legislature has recently ex-
tended the time for the payment of the
lakes because the people were not able |
10 pay at present forty cents. When |
will they be able to pay the two dol
lars :?
Again Virginia produces no wheat
20 sell-that is, she raises no more than |
she uses, for though she sells wheat of
her own raising, Sue buys from other |
States as much. Her whole crop is |
less than eight millions of bushels. In |
fact, her only money crop is the crop |
OF tobacco. OF this she in 1880 |
raised 79,98s,8 1868 pounds, valued at
Sj.4O6,744. How dow did she manage |
10 pay seventeen millions out of that
She didn't. That were an impossi |
bility.
Perhaps she paid II out OF the profits |
OF her manufactures. Let US see. In
1880 the total value of all the products
of manufactures in Virginia was Sjl,-
sac, G92. How much was profit? Ten
per cent? This would be about five
millions OF dollars. Twenty per cent.
This would yield about ten millions of
dollars. Whence come the nearly
seventeen millions Of dollars which our
people pay under the TARIFF
Cur own belief is that the theory is
wrong. Therefore, that the people of
Virginia do not pay sixteen or seven
teen millions of dollars under the tariff.
There's a mistake somewhere in the
calculation Of the i-Protectionists.
II not. the people of Virginia cannot
too soon cease talking about the three
or four millions of internal taxes they
pay, and the miserable single million
of interest on the State debt which |
they are asked to pay, and turn their
attention exclusively 10 the protective
tariff II we are robbed OF sixteen or
seventeen millions annually by tariff
plunderers, let us say not another word
about such small matters as the State
debt and the tax on tobacco.
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